


Night Walker

by CrazyMistahJ



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Minor Joker (DCU)/Harleen Quinzel, Minor Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, Multi, The Iceberg Lounge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:22:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28826631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyMistahJ/pseuds/CrazyMistahJ
Summary: A killer walks through Penguin's territory, leaving a trail of bodies leading up to the Iceberg Lounge.
Relationships: Ivy Pepper & Harleen Quinzel, Joker (DCU)/Harleen Quinzel, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma
Kudos: 21





	1. January 3rd 1992

**Author's Note:**

> I recently read The Long Halloween and Dark Victory and those were the stepping stone for my inspiration.

The Iceberg Lounge was quiet before the storm of the evening’s festivities. Oswald Cobblepot sat in the proprietor’s booth, nursing a glass of whiskey. He checked his watch, then glanced at the door impatiently. Edward was late.

Edward was obsessively punctual. If a meeting was arranged, he could be counted upon to show up early and criticize those who were even a hair late. Lateness was something that Oswald was unused to when it came to Ed Nygma.

He sighed and sipped his drink. Nygma had clearly found something more important to do than meet with him and Oswald hadn’t really had anything planned for them to talk about. He just wanted to have a general catch-up.

He just wished that Edward missing their…chat didn’t hurt so much.

Speak of the devil and he will soon appear, just as Oswald resigned himself to Edward’s not coming, the doors of the Iceberg Lounge were flung open by the man himself.

“Oswald! I know I’m late and I’m terribly sorry, but finally something interesting has happened around here and I couldn’t resist!”

Oswald pinched his nose and exhaled slowly.

“And what, pray tell Edward, has been so interesting that you are a half-hour late?”

Ed stumbled to a halt right in front of Oswald’s booth and bent over so that he could look Penguin in the eye.

“A body has been found.”

Oswald arched a brow. 

“A body. Really? Gotham’s underworld is littered with corpses, Edward. You can find a stiff anywhere.”

Edward slid into the booth facing Oswald, smirk still firmly plastered on his face, and motioned to a waiter to bring him a drink. Oswald couldn’t help but smile. Edward really did have an unshakeable ego. 

“Ah, but this stiff is rather unusual. Not only has it been found on your territory, but people even say the person who killed them may actually have been at your club this past evening.”

Now Penguin’s interest had peaked. A body found on his territory was problematic because it would draw attention to the club, but if a high roller had actually killed someone on his turf? That could lead to a lucrative blackmail opportunity, if they could be found.

He slowly sipped his whiskey and slid his eyes up to meet Edward’s. Edward’s smirk turned razor sharp as he registered Oswald’s curiosity.

“Do go on Edward. How did this person die?”

“My snitch in the GCPD says that a man in a flashy, expensive suit was seen by the docks last night, piss drunk. He had a switch blade on him and clearly intended to commit suicide, but was then harassed by a homeless person. This infuriated the man, who then stabbed the hobo to death. He stabbed him fifty-two times and then ran off.”

Oswald’s eyes widened. Fifty-two times! That wasn’t just annoyance. That was black rage. This man couldn’t have been one of his normal patrons…

Actually, Penguin realized as a chill ran down his spine, he might have a good idea of who this killer was. 

“Earth to Oswald. Are you listening to me?”

Oswald jumped and stared at Edward. Edward lent forward and put a hand on Oswald’s arm.

“Oz. Are you OK? I was just asking if you had any idea who this person is? I was thinking we might be able to have some fun with him, but your facial expression says otherwise.”

Oswald lifted his own hand to put it on Edward’s.

“Yes Edward, I believe I do know who he is.”  
~  
After Edward had gone, Oswald put the word out that security was to be tightened around his territory.

“No is to enter and leave without my knowledge of it, do you understand? If I am threatened in any way, I will make sure that you both suffer double for it!”

Falcone and Maroni both glanced at one another and then Falcone spoke.

“Boss, you know this is Sionis just trying to rile you up. That fucking pig has been out to get you for awhile now, ever since we expanded our business. He staged this, and the guy that was in here last night just to screw with your head.”

“This was not the work of a rival gang leader; they don’t employ freaks who do things like that! If it is Zsasz, then we need to take his threat against my life last night as credible. I wanted security tightened.”

Maroni stepped forward at that. He clearly wanted the meeting over with. He never spoke out against Oswald; it was always Falcone who made problems at gatherings.

“Yes boss. It’ll be done right away.  
~  
Oswald sat in his office and looked up from his paperwork to look out at his club. The swirl of the purple and blue lights against the glimmering chandeliers and the mirrored backdrop of the bar always cast a sensual glow about the place. The club was experiencing its last big rush for the night. It always got busy in the last two hours, before closing time set in.

There was a knock at his door and Penguin glanced at his intercom before allowing them through.

Harley sprang free of the goon who had escorted her to his office and scurried up to his desk. She was badly beaten up and moving in a way that made Penguin suspect that at least one of her ribs was broken. He dismissively waved the henchman away before getting up to help her.

“Harley, what has Joker done to you now? And why have you come here, instead of going to Ivy?”

Harley looked at him and Oswald had to appreciate the determined look in her eyes, even though she was clearly on the verge of tears.

“Ivy’s in Arkham right now and can’t get bail. Ozzie, please. I need a place to stay. I know you have a spare room, you let Eddie stay there. Please, just let me use it until I’ve healed up and can avoid Mr. J.

Oswald sighed dejectedly.

“Fine, I’ll call to let them know you’ll be coming home with me.”

“Thank you, Oswald. I owe you, truly.”

“Thank me later Harley. When you are feeling a little better, I have a job for you to do.”


	2. January 4th 1992

When Oswald awoke that morning and stumbled into the kitchen, he was vaguely surprised to see Harley standing there, helping herself to coffee. Then his brain and his memories of yesterday kicked in again.

“Good morning, Harley? What did the doctor say about your injuries?”

Harley seated herself on Oswald’s sofa and tucked her feet neatly beneath her.

“Thankfully, nothing broken. I’ve severely strained the muscles on my ribs and bruised my back, but nothing that will keep my incapacitated for long. Now, what is this job you have for me to do?”

Oswald poured himself his own cup of coffee and accepted two plates of French Toast from Olga. Passing a plate to Harley, he seated himself heavily on the couch.

“Not yet Harley. Edward isn’t here yet and you two will need to work together.”

Harley scrunched her nose at that and picked up a piece of her toast.

“Speaking of being together with Edward, what is your guy’s deal?”

Oswald paused, cup of coffee halfway to his mouth.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

Harley smacked the hand not holding the coffee cup and Oswald turned to face a pair of blue eyes flashing hard as steel.

“You two make time to have drinks and lunches! Even if he has an escort with him at the lounge, he makes an effort to speak to you! And don’t try and pretend that you don’t light up when he walks in the room! Why don’t you just ask him out, the worst he will tell you is no!”

Just as Oswald opened his mouth to respond, Edward strode into the room having apparently let himself in.

“Hi Harley. Oz let me know about your situation and apparently what he wants to talk to me about involves the both of us?”

Oswald thankfully latched onto this to distract himself from Harley’s pointed stare. He took a deep breath and focused on Ed.

“Yes. I need you two to track down a man named Victor Zsasz. I will provide you with photographs and a background dossier. I believe that he may be the man responsible for the attack on my turf recently. He made a threat on my life when he left my club on New Year’s. I want you two to bring him to me. I will pay you both.”

Harley looked at Penguin sadly.

“Do I really have a choice?”

“Yes. You can opt out, I won’t enforce that you work with Edward, if he agrees.”

Harley stared pensively down at her plate for a minute and then looked determinedly at Penguin.

“How much will you pay me?”

“You will each get a hundred thousand.”

“Deal. Eddie, are you in?”

Edward shrugged and smirked.

“This is a puzzle. How can I resist?”

It was at this moment that Oswald’s phone rang. It was Falcone on the other end of the line.

“Oswald, what did dear old Carmine want?”

“Another victim has been found. This time he was in the Iceberg Lounge. It was Falcone’s right-hand man, Milos Grappa.”  
~  
When they arrived at the Iceberg Lounge, the first thing that hit them was the smell of blood. Oswald approached the henchmen.

“Are Falcone and Maroni here?”

“No boss. They got here earlier and left when they saw you hadn’t been here and opened the note.”

They went inside and Harley gasped. Both Penguin and Riddler flinched. They had all killed before and seen corpses before, but this was something different.

Something more animal.

The body had been dismembered and the pieces looked as if they had been thrown about the lounge. A bloody note had been left behind on the proprietor’s booth. Riddler stepped in front of Oswald.

“Penguin. Let me examine it first. It might be a trap.”

Penguin acquiesced to Edward’s expert and watched as he pulled on his leather gloves (the leather slipping over his long pianist’s fingers taking up way too much of Oswald’s attention) and gingerly picked up the envelope. After examining it thoroughly, he pulled out a switchblade and slit open the envelope delicately, holding his breath in case powder flew out.

“Here, Oswald. I would wear gloves just in case, but it seems safe to read.”

Oswald unfolded the paper and focused on the scratched words on the page.

“I hate you, but I must thank you at the same time.  
You have made me free. Shown me what a fucking charade this whole world is.  
This zombie was a mafioso. No more. I have made him free.  
He is my second. He is not my last. Not until I have freed you Cobblepot.”

Oswald felt a chill skitter down his spine. He was coming for him. He passed the note to Edward and him and Harley read the note. It was Edward who spoke first.

“Oswald. You need to rally the support of Falcone and Maroni. You need to strengthen security and see if you can get a truce with Sionis.”

Oswald pulled out his cellphone and dialed Falcone’s number.

“Carmine. Get a hold of Maroni and send a message to Sionis that we want a meeting. Tomorrow night at the Iceberg Lounge.”  
~  
Oswald, Edward and Harley were sitting in the proprietor’s booth when Maroni and Falcone arrived. Falcone spoke first.

“Good evening, Cobblepot.”

Oswald rose and pulled Falcone into a hug.

“Carmine. I am truly sorry for the loss of Grappa. He was a good man and a wise consigliere.”

“Yes. Indeed, he was. Did you read the note that was left for you?”

“I did. That’s why we are meeting with Sionis.”

The doors burst open and Roman Sionis swaggered in.

“What’s the green whore doing here?”

Penguin tensed up and clenched his drink stop himself from getting up and punching Roman in the face.

“I have hired Riddler and Harley to find Victor Zsasz. This is the man responsible for the killings. I have called you here to request a truce. Also, to let you know, if I find out that you are sheltering him in anyway, I won’t hesitate to have you killed."

Roman smirked and extended one gloved hand.

“Oswald. We have been rivals a long time. But this is bad for business. I agree to your truce and I don’t know where Zsasz is, I swear to god. I would tell you if I did.”

Oswald grasped Roman’s hand and shook. He didn’t trust Roman to keep to this agreement forever, but this would ease his worries for a little while.

“Deal.”


End file.
